


If I should die and you should not

by varjohaltija



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: M/M, NOBODY DIES FEAR NOT, Not Canon Compliant, Short One Shot, Which is mentioned first as that is a positive thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 10:45:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16283126
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/varjohaltija/pseuds/varjohaltija
Summary: I was dusting my folders and decided to post few old things.This is a short glimpse into my preferred 'verse that I wrote after seeing Civil War, during which time it was possible that Phil might die in AoS. o_O  Yeah, noooope. So one might call this a precautionary fix-it??





	If I should die and you should not

Phil hadn’t realized how spoiled he’d become. When you are used to travelling by quinjet, flying coach really sucks. But not nearly as much as a rented mediocre car, when you just left your flight-capable Corvette behind, probably for good. It seems to take forever to drive from airport to the farm, and it’s already late afternoon when he parks to the front of the house.

Clint stands on the balcony, arms crossed and looks unimpressed as Phil steps out of the car.

“You start to make a nasty habit of this kicking the bucket thing.”

Phil is dog-tired and so not ready to fight. Yeah, they don’t agree on this, but it would be nice to get to greet their kids and maybe even get a hot shower and something to eat before they start an age old argument about leaving the scene by faked death. 

“Nice to see you too, honey,” he says, biting back any clever retorts of somebody making a habit out of being an international fugitive. He gives Clint a pleading look, not trying to conceal how weary he is. It hasn't been exactly easy to leave everything and everyone behind - not emotionally and certainly not practically: fooling a bunch of trained spies to think you died takes a lot of preparation and nerves of steel. Especially if you are doing it for a second time. (Or fifth, but "dying" as an undercover operative doesn't really count.)

Something in Clint’s expression softens. He drops his hands and steps down the stairs to meet his husband.

“Sorry. I’m happy you’re home,” he whispers, reaching to grab Phil by the lapels and pulls him to an almost desperate kiss. He smells of sawdust and freshly cut grass and sweat and Phil melts into him, hands seeking a hold on the soft flannel shirt.

“Ewwww,  please!!!” Cooper has materialised to the door, and he’s making disgusted faces. As Clint lets go and turns to smile innocently at him, Lila darts out behind Cooper’s legs, rushes to the yard and runs into Phil with all the grace and gentleness of a runaway bulldozer.

“Daddyyy!” she shrieks, throwing her arms around him. Phil lets out a theatrical sound of air being punched out of him, and lifts the giggling girl up onto his arms. She is heavier than he remembered, growing up much faster than he likes.

“Missed you, baby girl.” He peppers a few kisses into her curly hair and on her nose and makes her giggle and squeal more.

“She’s still daddy’s little banshee,” Clint chuckles.

Cooper saunters to them and Phil doesn’t miss how Clint mouths something to him. Probably asking him to behave. Cooper hesitates for a heartbeat, before giving Phil a quick, clumsy hug and then patting him on the shoulder. The adult-like gesture both makes Phil smile and breaks his heart. It was like yesterday when Cooper still hugged them like Lila just did, unselfconsciously. Phil’s little boy is not so little anymore. He cannot resist the urge to try to ruffle Cooper’s hair, though.

Cooper dodges him easily, and grins, half-annoyed. “Welcome home, dad.”

There is something he obviously wants to add still, so Phil just nods and waits.

Cooper is shifting his weight from one leg to another for a couple of times, before speaking.

“Are you going to stay more than few days this time?” he asks. His voice is hopeful, but Phil can also sense a tinge of bitterness. He cannot blame the boy. He hasn’t exactly been an exemplary father during last few years. There are many things he regrets and not being there for his kids has been one of the most painful, shameful things he had chosen to do out of duty, out of loyalty to SHIELD. There was always someone or something that needed him more. Yet another crisis to solve, another maniac to stop. No more.

“I’m going to stay much, much longer than that,” he says, giving Cooper a one handed hug.

He glances at Clint, looking for reassurance. Clint smiles at him, corners of his eyes crinkling, and cocks his head towards the house. “Let's go in and have some food. I’m thinking of pancakes. Who’s with me?!”

Lila lets out a delighted, high-pitched squeal that makes Phil’s ears ring, wrenches herself out of his arms and skips up the stairs to the balcony, her voice echoing in the hallway as she rushes inside and yells from the top of her lungs: “Pancakes!!! AUNT WANDA, WE ARE HAVING PANCAKES!!!!  AND DADDY’S HOME!!!”

Cooper hurries after her, trying to shush her. “Shhhh!! Aunt Wanda needs rest, Lila!”

Phil’s heart feels like it’s several sizes too big for his chest. He takes the hand his husband is holding out for him and together they follow the kids.


End file.
